News of a 13-year old boy who died after falling off a building in the northern port city of Thessaloniki has sent shock waves throughout all of Greece. The young boy was parkouring with his friends when he fell from the seventh floor of a building while attempting to cross over to the next building. This new sport — undoubtedly very dangerous — is not only gaining a fan base throughout the world, it has also become quite popular in Greece. The boy according to sources was not alone. He was accompanied by a team of youngsters who climbed to the roof top of a building on Mitropoleos Street, downtown Thessaloniki, and were jumping from one building to the next until they reached the building located on Agias Sofias street, when the fatal accident occurred. Parkour is a holistic training discipline using movement that developed from military obstacle course training. Developed in France, primarily by Raymond Belle, David Belle, and Sébastien Foucan during the late 1980s, Parkour became popular in the late 1990s and 2000s through films, documentaries, and advertisements. Parkour is becoming a recognized sport with competitions, events and official teams around the world. Practitioners aim to get from one spot to the next in the most efficient way possible. This is done using only the human body and the surroundings for propulsion, with a focus on maintaining as much momentum as possible while still remaining safe. Parkour can include obstacle courses, running, climbing, swinging, vaulting, jumping, rolling, quadrupedal movement, and the like, depending on what movement is deemed most suitable for the given situation. Parkour is an activity that can be practiced alone or with others. Although it can be practiced at any location, it is usually performed in urban spaces.
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